Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Home prices in metro Atlanta rose 18 percent in December compared with a year ago, according to the latest S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Index figures released Tuesday.

Atlanta had the fourth highest appreciation rate among the 20 cities studied.

Nationally, the average increase was 11.3 percent.

This is the 13th consecutive month of double-digit home price increases in metro Atlanta. Price increases are expected to stay in the double digits throughout the year, as more people enter the market and inventory stays low.

Friday, February 21, 2014

Is Google Fiber coming to Atlanta?

Google Fiber in Atlanta

Google Fiber is interested in coming to Atlanta in the following areas:

Avondale Estates

Brookhaven

College Park

Decatur

East Point

Hopeville

Sandy Springs

Smyrna

Google Fiber is an Internet Service Provider (ISP) that provides download speeds of a Gigabyte of Data per second. This upgrade in technology would revolutionize the professional and International Hub City of Atlanta.

Introducing Google Fiber

What Atlanta needs to do to get Google Fiber

"We’ll provide a checklist of things for these cities to complete to help make their area ready for fiber. We’re asking cities to provide us with information that can speed up planning and construction (e.g. maps of poles, conduit, existing water, gas, and electricity lines). We also ask that they streamline processes (e.g. permitting procedures and access to local infrastructure) to make it easier for a construction process of this scale to move quickly."

Detailed Atlanta City Study

"At the same time, Google Fiber will begin scoping the costs and timelines for building a new fiber-optic network. Google will conduct a detailed study of factors that affect construction plans, such as topography (e.g. hills, flood zones), housing density, and the condition of local infrastructure. "

Google will make a final decision by the end of this year on the next round of cities selected to get Fiber. Atlanta could very well be in this group of cities, but only with the cooperation and support of area leaders and businesses.

For more information on the pool of cities vying for the next round of Google Fiber Networks:

Monday, February 10, 2014

View of Downtown Atlanta

The view of Downtown Atlanta from the 16th floor of the Healey Building."I took this last night not long before an incident at our great Tabernacle venue, visible here just at the bottom of the Ferris wheel. During a Panic! at the Disco show, the floor in this 103 year old building began to shake from a structural problem. The venue was evacuated without incident or injury.It’s good to know, following out recent snow jam, that it’s possible for a big crowd in Atlanta to be evacuated without incident, at least on some level."

Saturday, February 8, 2014

LOVE IN ATLANTA

Valentine's Day 2014

Just when you feel like you were just celebrating New Year’s Eve, you blink and find Valentine’s Day is fast approaching! Here’s some ideas for events, shows, and more to celebrate with loved ones whether you’re in a relationship or just want a fun night out with friends.

The Romance Repertory - Shakespeare Tavern. 1/31 - 3/30. $15+. This time the Shakespeare Tavern has upped the ante and instead of just one show, they are offering up three choices for Valentine’s Week - The Taming of the Shrew, Much Ado About Nothing and of course the veteran must - Romeo and Juliet. Pick your poison. (Get it?)

Valentine’s Day Martini’s & IMAX - Fernbank Museum. 2/14 7-11pm. $13+. A special Valentine’s themed night for this great weekly event. 2 special Valentine’s movies will be shown, Kayla Taylor Jazz will perform, playing a soulful mix of jazz standards and love ballads, and cocktails - Heart Throb and Chocolate Kiss.

Tommy Blaze - The Punchline. 2/13-16. $20+. Laugh about the differences between men and women with Tommy Blaze, critically acclaimed comic know for his relationship humor from his ‘He Said/She Said’ tour.

Vixens Valentease Burlesque Show. 7 Stages. 2/2 8pm-Midnight. $20+. Syrens of the South kick off the month of love with a special night of burlesque! Sassy and classy, it’s a fun night out.

Romeo etJuliette - Cobb Energy Ctr. 2/7-15. $20+. Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo, the Southeast premiere of this alluring, ethereal production of Romeo et Juliette redefines the classic love story of the two star-crossed lovers of Verona.

Valentine’s at the High. Fri 2/14 6-10pm. $10 members/$20 non-members.Love and Romance tours, dance the night away to music by Full Tilt. Enjoy date-night couples games, a photo booth, and romantic music in the Margaretta Taylor lobby. End the night with a complimentary flower (while supplies last). Drinks/eats for purchase.

Love Stories Tours - Oakland Cemetery. Fri 2/9, 2/14-15. $10. Have a passion for history? This one-hour trip back in time introduces you to lovers (and a few parents) who obviously expected their love to last beyond their time here on earth. No RSVP needed, so perfect for last minute planners!

Piano Romance by Atlanta Symphony. 2/14-15. $22+. A night of romantic songs with the ASO! Rich Ridenour is a terrific pianist and arranger, and a first-class showman. He’s joined by award-winning Broadway vocalist Ashley Brown.

Kill Cupid Party at Three Sheets. 2/14 9pm-2am. FREE! Cupid will be hanging out, so enjoy great drink specials with him all night, along with fun games and music. Reservations highly recommended.

Jim Jeffries at Variety Playhouse. 2/14 8pm. $37.50. Take the pressure off and have a laugh with this top comic.
However you celebrate, or don’t, there’s always something new around the corner here in Atlanta to make any day special.

How to Sell Your Home in Atlanta

You want to sell your Atlanta home quickly, but you want to be sure you get the right buyers, the right timing and, let's be frank about what matters most: the right price!

There are many paths to listing your home, getting it ready to show, promoting it online and in the media. And of course you'll want to be sure it's in all the right online applications, MLS Listing Services and websites...

...the point is that you will want your home seen. You want the people looking to buy a home to actually come in and see your home. You want them to purchase your home in Atlanta, right?

The best suggestion: get a trustworthy Realtor in Atlanta. And who can you trust more than your local Keller Williams Realty in Buckhead?

My personal suggestion: call my friend, Brian Maguire. Brian has decades of experience and makes the process of selling your home in Atlanta as painless as possible. Sell your home fast.

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Selling Your Home

If you're in the Atlanta area and are looking for a Realtor locally, I want to personally recommend a particular Realtor at the Keller Williams Buckhead Office: Brian Maguire.You can consult with Brian and take advantage of his decades of experience in listing, preparing and selling your home quickly.